Insurance & Finance: TISA Insurance Group won four awards at the 2026 Insurance Asia Awards—PNG’s Domestic General Insurance Company of the Year and Strategic Partnership Initiative, plus Fiji’s International General Insurance Company of the Year and Bancassurance Initiative—highlighting its push to integrate banking and insurance across the Pacific. Digital Payments: The Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) and Australia have started the Unified Quick Response (QR) Code Standard Project to create one national QR payment standard, aiming for interoperable retail payments for merchants and customers. Cash & Retail Access: Temotu Province is facing a worsening cash shortage, with BSP in Lata reportedly out of cash for nearly a week, limited EFTPOS options, and no ATM machine—leaving businesses and workers struggling to get paid. Public Health: Solomon Islands marked its first official World Skin Health Day, with the health minister urging early treatment for scabies, yaws, leprosy, eczema and psoriasis, and noting specialist dermatology services at the National Referral Hospital. Tuna Enforcement: Pacific fisheries officials are running coordinated anti-illegal fishing operations, including sting activities under the Tui Moana effort, targeting vessels that misreport catches or operate outside normal patterns. Diplomacy Watch: Solomon Islands’ FM Rick Houenipwela will visit China from July 10–15, with analysts saying it signals continued consolidation of ties despite “external noise.” Infrastructure: Road sealing works on Honiara’s Hotbread Roundabout to Central Market corridor are progressing, with the seaside section expected to reopen to traffic by end of this week and remaining works continuing toward completion by August. Sports & Community: Honiara won men’s Rugby Sevens gold at the 2026 Solomon Games, while the Solomon Islands Floorball Federation says the national men’s 3v3 team has climbed to 22nd in the world rankings.